Christmas in Sweden: The 10 best julbord in the Malmö area

The Swedish julbord is an extensive spread that has evolved from a variety of traditions and today consists of an elaborate buffet of typical Christmas food. It is popular not only to sit down for a julbord on Christmas Eve with family, but also to go out for a special julbord meal at a restaurant in the run-up to Christmas – with family, friends or colleagues. See here for the low-down on the Swedish julbord.

All prices listed are per person, unless otherwise stated.

Traditional julbord:

These julbord are some of the most traditional you can get. With a focus on good quality meat and fish, they cater to those with no special requirements – although they may be able to accommodate special diets with advance notice.

Staffanstorps Gästis

Staffantorps Gästis has an impressive selection of herring – with a herring buffet based on the Scanian Herring Academy's original recipes. Visitors to this julbord can also enjoy game, hams, cheese and salmon, alongside julbord classics like meatballs and prinskorv sausages.

When: Available between November 18th and December 24th.

Price: 520 kronor for lunch on weekdays. 650 kronor for Thursday nights and 750 kronor on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Kids under 13 pay 35 kronor per year of age.

Årstiderna i Kockska Huset

Årstiderna's traditional julbord is served by candlelight in their 500-year-old building in the centre of Malmö. They have a number of julbordoptions this year: the standard julbord is available as eat-in or takeaway, there's a lyxjul ('luxury Christmas') julbord with lobster and champagne, and a simpler jullunch offering three courses of table service at lunchtime on weekdays.

When: Usually available from December 1st.

Price: Julbord: 795 kronor. Jullunch: 595 kronor. Lyxjul with lobster and champagne: 1195 kronor.

No julbord is complete without the traditional Christmas ham. Photo: Helena Wahlman/imagebank.sweden.se

Gourmetgården Katrinetorp

Katrinetorps Landeri in Svågertorp is home to foodie-favourite restaurant Gourmetgården. This year, unlike last year, Gourmetgården is offering a julbord lunch option in their restaurant rather than a buffet option.

This will include three types of herring, Christmas ham with mustard, meatballs, Jansson's temptation, browned cabbage, gravad lax with hövmästersås and eggs with prawn salad. 

For those of you interested in a full-blown julbord buffet, however, Gourmetgården is offering a catered julbord option for groups of 20 or more - ideal for a work do.

Both julbord options are served in their 19th-century restaurant.

When: Jullunch starting November 25th. Julbord catering booked directly with the restaurant.

Price: Lunch: 265 kronor, 340 kronor with cheese plate. Julbord 550 kronor per head plus venue hire subject to agreement.

Grand Deli in Lund

A classic for the city, Grand Deli in Lund is offering a buffet julbord in the hotel's dining room featuring meat, fish and vegetables from Scanian producers.

In previous years, Grand's julbord has featured their own meatballs and mustard herring, gravad lax and hot smoked salmon from Vallåkra smokery, south of Helsingborg, prinskorv sausages from Hässleholm in northern Skåne, and smoked onion sausage from Tollarp in northeast Skåne.

When: Available from November 25th - December 24th.

Price: Lunch Monday-Friday: 595 kronor. Evenings and weekends: 925 kronor. Christmas Eve: 1295 kronor. Children up to 12 pay 40 kronor per year of age, except for on Christmas Eve, where they pay 595 kronor regardless of age (up to 12).

Rådhuskällaren

Rådhuskällaren is another restaurant known for its meaty dishes – with Swedish classics like wallenbergare (breadcrumbed calf patties served with butter) often featuring on their menus.

Their traditional julbord is no different – all the classic warm and cold dishes you would expect, as well as a dessert buffet, served in their restaurant situated in the cellar of Malmö's town hall.

Somewhat unexpectedly, they also offer a vegan julbord, served at-table instead of buffet-style, available via prebooking. This features an orange and kale risotto served with pickled pumpkin, fried polenta with chickpea-stuffed polenta, roasted chestnuts and rosemary mayonnaise, and vegan desserts.

When: November 24th-December 22nd. Also served at lunchtime from December 5th.

Price: Lunch: 450 kronor. Tuesday-Saturday evenings, 595 kronor. All other evenings as well as Sundays, 495 kronor.

Vegetarian and vegan-friendly:

The above restaurants may offer vegetarian options if you ask, but we know that the ones below offer great vegetarian and vegan options, alongside the more traditional meat and fish dishes. Good choices if not everyone in your party eats meat.

Anita's på Börringekloster

Anita's på Börringekloster is known for its buffets, and its julbord is no exception. It offers everything you could want, including meatballs, Jansson's temptation, herring, cheese and Christmas ham, alongside a number of vegetarian dishes.

If you'd like a completely vegan option, Anita's also offers a vegan julbord for two days only, with vegan versions of traditional herring and meat dishes.

When and price:

Julbord buffet with entertainment: December 2nd and 16th, 575 kronor

Vegan julbord: December 9th at 6pm (595 kronor) and December 10th at 12 noon (450 kronor)

Standard julbord buffet without entertainment: All other Saturdays and Sundays in December, 395 kronor.

Booking recommended.

Adventkyrkan

Seventh-day Adventist church Adventkyrkan on Östra Rönneholmsvägen in Malmö offers the only entirely vegetarian julbord on this list.

Their julbord features gravad lax based on carrots, herring made from aubergine, as well as vegan and vegetarian versions of popular dishes such as Västerbotten cheese pie and Jansson's temptation.

When: November 27th.

Price: 300 kronor for adults, 100 kronor for children over 6. Booking obligatory.

Ängavallen organic farm in Vellinge has a julbord featuring the best of their produce – both meat and vegetables. Photo: Conny Fridh/imagebank.sweden.se

Ängavallen, Vellinge

Organic farm Ängavallen in Vellinge, south of Malmö, may be known for their meat, but their julbord also has some vegetarian offerings. Most of the ingredients for their julbord are sourced from their own farm, with a focus on animal health and welfare, stress-free slaughter and meat without antibiotics.

Their julbord is, unsurprisingly, very meaty, with patés, hams, terrines and ribs served alongside organic pickled herring, smoked, salted and cured salmon. Vegetarian dishes will also be served – contact the restaurant directly if you would like more details. Organic glögg (Swedish mulled wine), coffee and an appetiser upon arrival are included in the price.

When: November 26th-27th, December 2nd-4th, 6th-12th, 16th-18th and 22nd-23rd.

Price: 795 kronor for adults. Half price for children aged 4-12, children under 4 only pay for drinks. All children will receive a goodie-bag of sweets.

Some restaurants will offer glögg before your meal. Photo: Helena Wahlman/imagebank.sweden.se

Bosjökloster, Höör

Monastery Bosjökloster in Höör is, admittedly, not particularly close to Malmö. It takes around 40 minutes to drive there from Malmö, or just over an hour via public transport – so this is definitely more of a day-trip option.

This julbord, described as a julbordsupplevelse or "julbord experience", offers visitors the chance to start their evening with a glögg by the fire in the castle, while listening to stories (in Swedish) from Bosjökloster's history. Attendees will then walk through candlelit hallways through to a seasonally-decorated hall, where a julbord based on home-made dishes as well as products from local producers will be served.

Vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians can also enjoy this julbord – just remember to include this information in your booking.

When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until December 3rd-18th.

Price: 625 kronor for adults (with glögg and stories by the fire: 655 kronor). Children aged 9-12, 385 kronor. Children aged 4-8, 275 kronor. Children aged 1-3, 125 kronor.

House of Ven

Even further away from Malmö, House of Ven situated on the island of Ven in the Öresund strait between Sweden and Denmark is offering a one-of-a-kind julbord this year.

This julbord will most likely require an overnight stay either on the island or in nearby Landskrona, and the food on offer will be a five course meal served at the table with all the traditional classics and a range of vegetarian dishes.

When: November 26th-December 22nd.

Price: Standard julbord, 695 kronor. Julbord including overnight stay and breakfast, from 1295 kronor per person.